Bed table



June 24, 1930. w c, WETMORE ET AL 1,765,514

BED TABLE Filed Marc-h 2'7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 INVENTORS WiHorcl CW I Rico See e 5] 0 BY J 5 AM I ATTORNB June 24, 1930.

W. C. WETMORE ETI' AL BED TABLE Filed March 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z lNVENTQRS Wallard Cweimore Rica 2%ele ATTORNEY.

Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PAT EN'T OFFICE WILLARD C. WETMORE, OF .SAYBBOOK, AND RIQA HARRVOOD SEELEY, F ESSEX,

CONNECTIGUT :enn TABLE Our invention relates to improvements in tables of a type especially advantageous for use on beds by invalids 01",Oth6IS.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tray or table having facilities for serving food, and properly retaining dishes and other receptacles, preventing lea-kage or overflow of spil'led lliquids, and also providing a movable and adjustable section 0 or leaf to conveniently support a book or to serve as a writing surface.

To these ends, the tray or table top is provided at the sides and rear with a raised flange or rim, and a central portion is cut away and a movable, hinged section is fitted therein, with means for supporting it at a desired angle .ofinclination; and a shallow flange or rim, preferably removable, is located about the aperture to prevent spilled aperture.

Another object is to provide for the secure and level support .of t e table upon a bed, and for this purpose the table'is provided with foldable and adjustable legs which rest upon the bed coverings and support the table top at a level slightly higher than the legs of the occupant of the bed, so that the table imposes no weight upon the user and is securely and stably supported.

The'characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufliciently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain representative embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled'persons will understand that many variations may be "made without departing from the principles involved, and we contemplate the employment. of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a bed tray or table, embodying the invention in one form, in use.

liquids from overrunning the edge of the struction.

The table top 1, of any suitable material, usually wood, is preferably rectangular in plan and is recessed along its front edge as at 2 to enable it to be drawn close to the body of the user, as sufficiently represented in Fig. 1. The table top is supported by four short legs 3, and desirably these are arranged in pairs, each pair of legs being connected to a cross piece 4, these cross pieces or leg connectors being connected to the table bottom by hinges 5. To hold the legs in vertical or active position, the cross pieces 4 are centrally bored and provided with. thumb screws 6 revo'lubly mounted in plates 7. The screws engage in threaded plates 8 secured to the table bottom to retain the cross pieces and their respective legs. in vertical position as shown in. Figs. 1 and 2.

To retain the legs in inactive position flat against the table bottom, one leg of each pair is provided in its lower end with a socket 9 co-operating with a spring plunger 10 located in one end of a block 11 secured to the undersurface of the table top. This block also serves as a convenient handle for carrying the table vertically with the legs in folded position, an inner face of the block being for this purpose provided with an undercut portion or finger-recess 12, Figs. '2 and 5. Y

fragmentary perspective of one The legs are desirably adjustable as to length in order to support the table topuat different elevations above a bed. Thus the lower portion 13 of each leg may be made detachable as shown in Fig. 7, the detachable portion being provided on its upper end with dowels l4 removably fitting in dowel sockets 15 in the lower end of the main leg portion 3 and co-operating snap fastening members 16 and 17 of any known or suitable type are provided in the respective leg members to retain the detachable leg portions in position, subject to release by pressing upon buttons 18. Otherwise to guard against losing the detachable leg members,

the lower leg portions 13 may be movably connected to the main portions 3 .by hinges 20 see Fig. 8, and secured in active or eX- tended position by fasteners 16, 17 similar to those previously described. By releasing the fasteners the lower sections '13 may be folded back and up against the main leg portions 3, thus providing in effect short legs for the proper support of the table when used by a person of'small dimensions. The legs rest on the bed coverings and support the table top above the legs of the user as shown in Fig; 1 so that the table does not tilt, or impose a burdensome weight upon the legs of the user, as in the caserof an ordinary bed tray, but is securely and evenly supported at points at each side of the users body, and the user may, therefore, have con siderable freedom of movementwhile the.

table is in use and without interfering with the table or tilting it.

Upwardly-projecting mar inal strips or flanges 21 are secured at the sides and rear edge of the top, these flanges extending substantially above the upper surface of the top of the table to prevent dishes or other utensils being pushed off of the table, and to retain spilled liquids.

As an important feature of the-invention I provide movable and adjustable leaf, or top section 25, which may be of thesame material and thickness as the table top proper, and fits closely but movably in an aperture 26 therein of corresponding contour. Desirably, although not necessarily, the movable section or leaf may be of square outline. The leaf is pivotally connected at its forward edge by hinges 26 and near its rear edge is provided with adjustable supporting means conveniently identified as an adjustable strut 17. This includes side bars 28, the upper ends of which are connected to one member of a hinge 29, the other mem ber of which is secured to the under surface of the movable leaf near its rear edge and at the center. Another bar 30 is slidably located between bars 28, and for this puriose is provided at one end with a pin 31, the projecting ends of which fit in slots 32 in the inner faces of the side bars. The lower part of themovable bar passes through a yoke 33, which also embraces the side bars and provides a guide for the movable bar. A clamping screw 34 engages a side face of. the movable bar, to clamp it in inactive, or adjusted, active position.

A strip 35, secured to the underface of the table as by screws 36, is arranged to provide a ledge 37 projecting forwardly from the rear margin of the table aperture, thisv ledge serving to support the'rear edge of the movable section or leaf. The ledge is also utilized to co-operate with the adjustable strut for the support of the leaf, by providing at the center of the ledge a notch or socket 38 which receives the pointed end of the movable bar, as best shown in Fig. 3. To support the leaf at lower angles than are permitted by the stated use of movable bar 30, as for example to provide a slightly inclined surface for writing, the strut bars 28 areprovided on their outward or rear faces with pairs of downwardly directed hooks &0, located at different longitudinal positions on the bars, and each pair of hooks may be inserted in sockets 41' provided in.

the ledge 37 at either side of the socket 38, one positioning of the hooks and adjustment of the leaf being shown in Fig.6. To retain the supporting strut in inactive position against the underface of the leaf as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, any suitable clip may be provided. Desirably this may consist of a hook 42 pivotally secured in the leaf 25and revoluble to engage the movable bar of the strut, as shown in the stated figures, and also capable of being swung aside, whereupon the strut drops down and may be adjusted as to length by manipulation of the screw 34: and proper extension of the movable bar 30, whose end 39 is then placed in the socket 38, to support the leaf 25-atthe desired angle to hold a book in convenient reading position as illustrated in Fig. 1, or in alower position, for writing, by insertion of either pair of hooks lO in the sockets 41, as shown in Fig. 6. V I

Means are desirably provided to retain the leaf in its lowered position, or flush with the main part of the table top, as shown in Figs 2 and 5. Such means may desirably CO'ILSISt Of one or more spring plungers inserted in the rear edge .of'the leaf and engaging in sockets 16 formed in the rear edge of the leaf opening or formed in plates secured thereon.

A detachable rim is desirably provided for the table. aperture, composed of three shallow strips (Figs. 1, 3, 1 and 6), provided on their undersides with dowels 51 removably fitting in sockets 52 formed in the upper face of the table adjacent the sides and rear edges of theaperture 26. Another strip 53 may be detachably mounted in a similar way at the forward edge of leaf 25. 'When in position these rim strips prevent any spilled'liquids from running over the edge of the aperture and onto the bed covering, and they also prevent displacement of dishes or other utensils. Strip 53 also acts as a ledge or cleat to retain a book or pamphlet in reading position on the shelf 25 when the latter is elevated as sufiiciently explained in Fig. 1. WVhen desired, as when the leaf is in closed position, the rim strips may be removed to provide a clear and unobstructed table top surface.

When the legs are folded as shown in Fig. 5 the entire structure is thin and fiat and may easily be stored'in a small space and in this condition it may also be used as a tray and for convenience in handling it finger grips 60 are desirably secured on the underface of the table top near the end edges thereof.

The advantages and modes of use of the invention structure will be sufficiently understood from the preceding explanation and the drawings, and especially Fig. 1, which shows the table placed upon a bed, with the leaf raised for the support of a book for reading, while dishes and other utensils are located upon the table top about its aperture.

If desired, the table as a whole may be slightly tilted, as for reading or card playing or like purposes, by employing the two legs nearer the user, of reduced height, as above described.

A hand-hold 61', preferably countersunk, see Figs. 3 and 6, may be provided for the leaf 25.

o claim:

1. A table of the character described comprising a table top having an aperture and a leaf hingedly secured in the aperture and provided with means for supporting it in adjustable angular relation above the table top surface and also adapted to be retained in closed position flush with the table top, said supporting means comprising an adjustable strut hingedly connected to the underface of the leaf and having an end portion adapted to co-operate with a socket at the rear of the table aperture, and means for detachably securing the supporting means in inactive position against the underface of the leaf, and pairs of hooks on an upper portion of the strut arranged to co-operate with sockets at the rear of the table aperture, to support the leaf in relatively low angular positions.

2. A table of the character described comprising a table top having an aperture and a leaf hingedly secured in the aperture and provided with means for supporting it in adjustable angular relation above the table top surface and also adapted to be retained in closed position flush with the table top, said supporting means comprising an adjustable strut hingedly connected to the surface of the leaf and having an end portion adapted 

